Telephone locking mechanism.



PATENTED AUG. 2,1904.

R. W. GOEB.

TELEPHONE LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 20. 1903.

2 SHEET N0 MODEL.

No. 766,241. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. R. W. GOEB.

TELEPHONE LOCKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNIT D STATES;

Patented August 2, 1904..

PATENT FFICE.

RUDOLPH IV. GOEB, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE GON- TROLLER COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A. COR- PORATION OF MISSOURI.

TELEPHONE LOCKING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,2Q1, dated August 2, 1904,

Application filed April 20, 1903. Serial No. 153,459. (No model.)

To {I/ZZ nf/to'm/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPHIV. Gone, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Telephone Locking Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the telephone and its locking mechanism, the front of the telephone-box being removed, the front plate of the casing for the locking mechanism being also removed, a portion of the receiver being broken away and indicated in dotted lines and certain of the parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the mechanisms shown in Fig. I. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of aportion of the casing and its contained mechanism; and Fig. 4. is a front elevation of the lower portion of the casing, a portion of the front plate being broken away.

I-leretofore locks have been provided for the purpose of locking telephones against use until a proper coin has been deposited, such coin serving to release the locking mechanism. Such a locking mechanism has been provided with means whereby central can release the locking mechanism connected with a particular telephone, and thus avoid the necessity of the introduction of a coin or token by the lessee of the telephone. Furthermore, such a lock ing mechanism has been provided with means whereby central can return a deposited coin to the operator.

This invention relates to telephone locking mechanisms of the character above indicated, and refers more particularly to the means whereby the mechanism can be released by central without the necessity of depositing a coin and whereby central can return a deposited coin to the depositor, the primary object being to permit the releasing mechanism to be controlled by the usual signal-operating mechanism of the telephone, this same mechanism serving also to operate the mechanism by which a coin is returned to the depositor.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon mechanisms of the character indicated the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

The telephone mechanism illustrated is of an old and well-known type, 1 indicating the usual telephone-box, 2 the bifurcated receiver suspension-hmvk, and 3 the receiver. .Vithin this box is the spring in, adapted to elevate the receiver suspension-hook when the receiver is removed, and the usual spring-terminals 12, n, n" and n" are supported in the customary manner, the terminals 11 and '11 controlling the talking-circuit and the terminals n and 11" controlling the signal-circuit in a manner which is old and well understood, the spring-linger o cooperating with .the receiver suspension-hook in the usual manner to cause contact between the terminals 1: and 11" when the said suspension-hook is in depressed position and to cause contact between the terminals u and 11 when the said suspensionhook is in elevated position.

,1) refers to thegongs of the customary callsignal, and 1 is the clapper, which cooperates with said gongs and is supported upon the pivoted armature 1', whose action is controlled by the usual magnet s.

The locking mechanism illustrated is not my invention and is fully disclosed in Patent No. 739,114, granted September 15, 1903, to Villiam H. Scott. Such locking mechanism includes a rotatably-supported spider-plate 8, whose locking-arms 9 operate through a slot 7 in the box or casing 4., said arms 9 successively projecting beyond the casing & as the said spider-plate is rotated and being spaced from each other a suflicient distance to permit the telephone-receiver 3 to lie between any adjacent arms when the receiver is supported upon the suspension-hook. Pivotally supported within the casing is a locking-lever 10, which has a coin receiving arm 11 projecting upon one side of the pivot and extending into the coin-raceway (5, and said lockinglever also has a locking-arm 12, which when the parts are in normal position has slightly above the plane in which the arms of the spider-plate rotate, a finger or projection 13 depending from the free end of said lockingarm and when the parts are in normal position lying in the path of forward movement of one of the arms 9, and thus serving to lock said spider-plateor locking element against movement necessary to permit the withdrawal of the receiver from its hook.

As disclosed in Patent No. 739,075, granted to me September 15, 1903, a releasing-lever 18 is pivotally supported within the casing 4 and hangs above the coin-receiving arm 11 of the locking-lever normally out of engagement with the same, and a suitably-supported electromagnet 16 cooperates with the armature 17 upon said releasing-lever to throw said releasing-lever into operative engagement with the said locking-lever. Then said magnet 16 is energized,the releasing-lever engages the coin-receiving arm of the locking-lever and depresses said arm, thus rocking the locking-lever and carrying the locking finger or projection 13 out of locking position, the free end of said releasing-lever engaging in the notch 14 in the coin-receiving arm of the locking-lever after said releasing-lever has been fully moved to throw the locking-lever into unlocking position and being retained in this notch in a manner which will be apparent, whereby the releasing-lever serves to hold the locking-lever in unlocking position and the locking-lever serves to hold the releasinglever in operative position. As the spider plate 8 is moved about its pivot by the withdrawal of the receiver 3 after the lockinglever has been thrown into the position last indicated the arm 9 of said spider-plate, which has heretofore been locked, engages the inclined edge 13 of the said locking-finger 13, and the movement of the said arm serves to rock the locking-lever sufiicientl y to effect disengagement of the releasing-lever 18 by the coin-receiving arm 11, whereupon the releasing-lever 18 is free to fall, into normal inoperative position and the locking-lever is free to return to locking position. The operation of the locking-lever 10 by a coin deposited in the raceway 6 will be apparent.

The coin-returning mechanism is also fully disclosed in an application for patent filed by me February 13, 1903, Serial No. 1 13,176, and includes a lever 53, which has its lower end turned inwardly to produce a COll'l'SUP'. port 56, such coin-support being adapted to support a coin after the same has operated upon the coin-receiving arm 11 of the locking-lever. Suitably supported in the casing is an electromagnet 59, which cooperates with an armature 58 upon the upper arm of said coin-returning lever 53. Below the coin-supporting plate 56 of the said lever is a discharge-raceway 51, which leads from the easing A and conveniently terminates in an open coin-receptacle 52. It will be readily apparent that when the magnet 59 is energized the coin-returning lever 53 is rocked to carry its supporting-plate 56 out of coin-supporting position and the coin which was supported upon said plate prior to the said rocking of said lever falls into the discharge-raceway 51 and rolls into the open coin-receptacle 52, from which it can be taken by the operator. The coin is indicated by the letter X.

In my said previous application for patent I have shown means whereby the releasing mechanism and the coin-returning mechanism can be operated from a single source, the releasing mechanism being operable when the locking element 8 is in locking position and the coinreturning mechanism being operable when said locking member is in unlocking position. Suitable terminals 60 and 61, electrically disconnected from each other, are supported within the casing and cooperate with a switcharm 63, which is in frictional engagement with the rotatable spider-plate or locking element 8, and is thus moved by said element from one of said terminals to the other thereof.-

B represents a battery or any other suitable source of electrical energy. The terminal 60 is electrically connected to one pole of the releasing-lever-operating magnet 16, as by the wire a, while the other of said terminals, 61, is connected, as by the wire 6, with one pole of the coin-returning-lever-operating magnet, the opposite pole of each of said magnets being connected to one pole of the battery. This last-mentioned connection is here shown as eflected through the wire cl, extending from the magnet 16, and the wire 0, extending from the magnet 59 and connecting with said wire (Z, the wire d being connected to one terminal of a switch Dand the wire 6 connecting the other terminal of said switch D with said battery. The other pole of said battery is connected by the wire f with the casing 1, which is of course electrically connected to the said switch-arm 63.

WVhen the telephone-receiver is upon its suspension-hook and the spider-plate is in locked and locking position, the switch-arm 63 engages the terminal 60, so that except for the break at the switch D the circuit including the releasing-lever-operating magnet is complete, while the circuit including the coinreturning-lever-operating magnet is broken not only at the switch D, but also between the terminal 61 and the switch-arm 63. If, therefore, when the parts are in the positions just indicated, with the receiver upon its hook, the switch D be closed, the releasing-lever 18 will be operated and the locking-lever 10 will be thrown into unlocking position. As the receiver 3 is withdrawn from its hook and the spider-plate 8 is moved about its pivot the switch-arm 63 is thrown from engagement with the terminal 60 and into ennected to the before-mentioned wire 1:, so that gagement with the terminal 61, thus causing the circuit inchiding the releasing-loveropcrating magnet to be broken not only at the switch I), but also between the terminal and the said switch-arm 63, and completing the circuit including the coin-returningleveroperating magnet except for the break at the switch I). It. therefore, when the parts are in the position last indicated, with the receiver off the hook, the switch I) be closed, the coin-returning mechanism will be operated, and the coin will be returned to the depositor.

All of the mechanism heretofore described is old, and it has been necessary to manually operate the switch I). The primary object of the present invention is to permit this switch 1) to be automatically operated by central, no magnet other than that commonly found in telephones being employed for the operation of said switch.

Suitably supported within the telephonebox 1 is a block of insulation, to which is connected the terminal 71 of the switch 1), said terminal being connected to the beforementioned wire (land being preferably a plate 5 which extends outwardly from the said block, i, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and has a down\\'ardly-bent'end 72. A plate 73, also secured to said block T0, has outwardly-extending arms Ti, between which is pivotally supported an armature T5. adapted to cooperate with the periphery of the core s of the before-mentioned signal-operating magnet s, l the betore-mentioned armature r, which cari ries the bell-clapper 1 cooperating with the end of said core i in the usual manner. Supported upon the armature T5 and in electrical connection therewith is a plate 76, of resilient material, which has spring-fingers T7 and in extending therefrom,the said springtinger To cooperating with an upturned stop T9 upon the said plate T3 and normally engaging the said stop to hold the said armature 75 out of engagement with the beforementioned ,core x, the said springdinger 77 when the said armature is in said normal position lying out of engagement with the ter i minal linger T2. The said plate 73 is conbecause of the electrical engagement of the said armature T5 with the said plate T3 and of the said plate T6 with the said armature the said spring-finger 77 forms one terminal of the switch I), the other terminal of said switch being formed by the plate Ti and its finger T2. Bearing in mind the fact that when the receiver is upon its hook the circuit through the releasing-lever-operating magnet is complete except for thebreak at the said switch D and that the circuit through the coin-returninglcver-operating magnet is broken not only at the said switch I), but also between the terminal 51 and the switch-arm 63, it will beapparent that when central energizes the magnet l s in order to operate the signal of the telephone the core s of said magnet attracts the pivoted armature 75 and throws the terminal '77 into engagement with the terminal '72, the circuit including the releasing-1ever-operating magnet being thus automatically completed through the instrumentality of the usual signal-operating magnet and the locking mechanism being thus automatically unlocked whenever a call is received. Of course the magnet s attracts the armature T in opposition to the force of the spring 78, so that as soon as the call-signal-operating magnet is deenergizedthe said spring-linger 78 returns the armature 75 and the terminal 77 to normal position, and thus breaks the circuit through the releasing-lever-operating magnet. The telephone-receiver can now be removed from its hook and the telephone used in the usual manner.

The present mechanism can also be employed to enable central to return a coin to a depositor. \Ve will assume that the depositor has deposited a coin in the apparatus and has withdrawn the receiver'from its suspensionhook, this actionof withdrawing the receiver serving in the manner heretofore described to complete the circuit through the coin-returning-lever-operating magnet except at the switch 1) and to break the circuit including the releasing-levcr-operating magnet between the terminal 60 and the switch-arm 63. If new the depositor is unable to obtain the connection desired, it is only necessary for central to instruct him to depress the receiver suspension-hook, the receiver being retained off the same, and central can then by energizing the magnet x as for the purpose of giving a call close the switch I) in the manner heretofore explained, whereupon the coin-returning lever will be operated and the coin will be returned to the depositor. The circuit by which the coin-returningmechanism is actuated is as follows: from battery B through wire to the switch-terminal 7T, thence to the switch-terminal 72, thence through wire (Z and wire c to the magnet 59, thence through wire I) to terminal 61, thence through terminal 63 to the casing &, and thence through wire f to the battery B.

Preferably a bridge-piece or extension 80 projects from the armature-plate '75 and carries a supplemental armature-plate 81, which cooperates With the periphery of the core s of the magnet s, said bridge-piece being preferably flexible, butnot resilient, wherebyit can be bent, and thus adjusted, in order to bringits carried armature 81 into desired relationship -with respect to the said core Thus should the magnet s be operated by an alternating current and the cores s s thus be alternately energized the armature 75, with its carried terminal 77, is nevertheless held in attracted position duringthe entire time that said magnet is energized.

ITS

It is to be noted that the present mechanism enables central to both release the locking mechanism and return a coin when necessary and that the releasing mechanism and the coin-returning mechanism are both controlled through the instrumentality of the usual call-signal-operating magnet found in telephones of ordinary construction.

I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a telephone, its call-signal, and call-signal-operating magnet,

of a cooperating locking mechanism, a'coincontrolled releasing mechanism for said looking mechanism, means whereby said magnet operates said call-signal, and means whereby said call-signal-operating magnet can also operate said releasing mechanism to release said locking mechanism; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a telephone, and its call-signal-operating magnet, of a cooperating locking mechanism, a coin-controlled releasing mechanism therefor and including a magnet, a movable armature cooperating with said call-signal-operating magnet, a terminal movable with said armature, a cooperating terminal, and a circuit including said terminals and said second-mentioned magnet; substantially as described.

ating locking mechanism, a releasing mechanism therefor, a coin-returning mechanism, and means whereby through the instrumentality of said call-signal-operating magnet said releasing mechanism is operable to release said locking mechanism and said coin-returning mechanism is also operable; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a telephone, and its call-signal-operating magnet, of a cooperating locking mechanism, a coin-controlled releasing mechanism therefor, a coin returning mechanism, and means whereby when said locking mechanism is in locking position said releasing mechanism is rendered operable to release-said locking mechanism through the instrumentality of said magnet, and when said. locking mechanism is in un locking position said coin-returning mechanism is rendered operableby said magnet; substantially as described.

' 6. The combination with a telephone, and its call-signal-operating magnet, of a cooperating coincontrolled mechanism including a movable locking element, electrically-controlled mechanism for operating said locking mechanism, electrically-controlled coin-delivering mechanism, a switch operable by said call-signal-operating magnet, two electricallydisconnected terminals, a switch member movable with said movable locking element and cooperating with said terminals, a circuit including said mechanism for operating said locking mechanism, said switch, one of said terminals, and said switch member which is movable with said movable locking element, and a second circuit including said coin-delivering mechanism, said switch, the other of said terminals, and said switch member which is movable with said movable locking element; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 13th day of April, 1903.

RUDOLPH W. GOEB. 

